How enlightening to read your excellent story about case histories of residents, evidently of all ages, who devote their spare time to good causes and what we can do during National Volunteer Week.

Baroness Greengrass, top official of Age Concern England last year, said at a ceremony presenting certificates to volunteers at the House of Commons that: "Voluntary work in Great Britain in 2004, was the fourth largest industry, worth £40bn to society. And who could have paid for that?" Which brings me down to a real problem at local level. For a number of years, up to 1991, I was a volunteer at the 1826 Bowes Railway complex at Springwell Village, Gateshead. This was the pointer to the Swiss Mountain system told in a letter by David Morgan MBE, and chairman of the National Railway Heritage Association.

This complex, 2/3rd in Sunderland, 1/3rd in Gateshead, whilst it may have the largest variety of coal wagons certainly in the North East if not the UK, has a serious volunteer problem now to what it did have. The reason I do not know. It would make some serious railway buffs quite happy, I am sure, if this project was listed with English Heritage and saved for future generations. A major problem recently highlighted was the wagon shop with its three feet wide walls, but a problem roof, asbestos etc, estimated cost of repairs, £250,000, but even so, volunteers can still make a difference on a spare time basis, Monday to Saturday. I am sure personnel on site, phone 416 1487, would only be too happy to assist during or after National Volunteer Week.

BILL CRADDOCK, MBE, Voluntary Life Member, 80 years of age.

Please stop your moaning

REGARDING DR, of Gateshead's letter, advising the bus company to put on extra buses to help with pensioner congestion.

Bless their little cotton socks. Does DR know that they are busy cutting down the bus services. Are you trying to upset them all? In any case I can't see that it would make any difference.

You are always going to get the complainers. It is a way of life for some of them. They would start complaining that we were all climbing on the wrong bus. They make it sound as though pensioners are like the walking dead. A lot of us still live very active lives. We have our routines just as much as workers.

We have to shop and bank and do the everyday mundane tasks the same as any worker. Routine is the thing that keeps us going.

Just because we are older it doesn't mean we are brain dead. A lot of pensioners do charity work and help others in need. It is not always about making money for themselves. I just hope the moaners are in the minority.

I would not want to be here in 20 or 30 years time. Smile and the world smiles with you. Cry and you cry alone.

MAUREEN CURTIS, Castlegate Gardens, Dunston.

Explain this Assembly

I AGREE with W Beattie, of Westerhope, June 2, about the group of people who say they are North East Assembly members.

There is no elected North East Assembly. Ironically, on the same day you featured articles of this Assembly advertising for a weather watcher. You also sent a reporter to ask public opinion of this post.

You should know that a vast majority of the North East rejected such an Assembly. As far as I can see they are unelected and represent no one.

We said No. What part of `no' does the Government not understand. Can someone in authority please shed light on this.